Aug 2021
Chilterns Court swap skills with local school children
Residents at Chilterns Court Care Centre and children at Valley Road Primary School, both in Henley-on-Thames, have been getting to know each other via videos to share some of their skills and interests for the other generation to learn.
From gardening with 101-year-old Dickie, to magic tricks with William, aged 10, both residents and children alike have enjoyed learning the new skills and making new friends of different ages.
Before the pandemic residents at Chilterns Court enjoyed mixing with younger people from local schools and nursery groups. However due to the restrictions on access the home has turned to technology to enable residents to keep in touch with different generations.
Joanna Dowejko, Chilterns Court home manager, understands the positive impact interacting with younger people has on the home’s residents.
She explained: “Our residents love seeing and speaking to children, and it’s something they have missed during this past year. Not only does it raise their spirits, but it has cognitive and social benefits too.”
Intergenerational interaction is widely understood to have a positive impact on well-being in the elderly and has been shown in studies to also be effective in reducing stereotypical perceptions of aging held by the young.
Resident Dickie Charlton, 101, enjoyed showing the children some gardening techniques in his video. Having previously been a head gardener at a stately home looking after eight acres of land, Dickie admits the garden at Chilterns Court is a little more modest.
He said: “The garden is smaller here than the land I used to garden, but I love coming out for a walk around and I help plant up the vegetable and flower beds. It is lovely to be out in the sunshine and showing the children what we do.”
He added: “I enjoyed seeing their responses. It is wonderful that so many young people are interested in gardening these days.”
Other videos from residents included instructions on how to march on command and polish shoes from former military captain, John, and a life lesson on proper preparation from David.
Along with 10-year-old William’s magic trick, the schoolchildren also sent videos showing, among other skills, how to skip with a skipping rope, some beginners’ karate moves, and how to make an origami swan.
Ms Dowejko said: “We are delighted we have been able to facilitate this project with Valley Road Primary School and create links with our community that we hope will last long after all the restrictions are fully lifted.”
View the videos on Chilterns Court's Facebook page.